# New cigar lounge in Redlands



## redlandscigar (Dec 4, 2012)

We just opened a cigar lounge in Redlands CA. Any thoughts on how to attract new clients?


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## beerindex (Sep 10, 2012)

I don't know how competitive the local scene is, or what laws govern what you can do, but factors that would make me pick one lounge over another:

1 - Later hours. There area couple of places I could smoke here that close at 6 or 7 PM, and one that closes at 1 AM. Guess which is more likely to get my money.

2 - Have a better selection. There are some places so focused on atmosphere that they half-ass their offerings. If you can get an account with more limited brands like Tatuaje or Liga Privada, all the better. If not, at least have a varied selection. I don't want to just choose between a dozen mediocre Dominican iterations of more famously Cuban brands like Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo.

3 - Have a choice in cutting tools. My local lounge seems only to have a guillotine. I hate those, and never use them unless the vitola demands it. So I use my own punch. Your place should have both of those and a v-cutter. By the same token, you should offer up both torches and long cigar matches. 

4 - If you can serve alcohol, do so, and be just as discerning with your selection as you would be with cigars. Having 4 or 5 scotches and then crap beer is not acceptable. Going to sell beer? Well, you're in California, so you have zero excuse not to offer an excellent array. Scotch? If you're keeping your assortment at 15 years and below, as I've sometimes seen, I won't bother. 

5 - If you don't/can't serve food, do allow people to bring it in.

6 - Perhaps I'm the dissenting voice here, but if you're going to show sports (and personally, I give bonus points for not having a tv at all), keep the volume reasonable. If it is overpowering my conversation, it means I won't be returning.


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## CigarShop (Oct 16, 2012)

Not sure if you have a "retail" section of your store, and then a Members Only section. Generates revenue as well as keeps your members/regulars feeling special. Best of luck! Is California part of the Midwest?


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## Stradawhovious (Oct 17, 2012)

redlandscigar said:


> We just opened a cigar lounge in Redlands CA. Any thoughts on how to attract new clients?


Give folks on the intrawebz free samples?

Let me know if you need my addy. 

There are a thousand and one ways to advertise. Be creative!

One of my favorite advertising ploys was done (I think) by one of the major US coffee giants. (this may not be 100% accurate but you get the jist) They put a huge cardboard coupon for a free coffee in the elevator of a hotel several blocks away. This coupon was about five foot tall and 3 foot wide and in inch thick. Had the name of their coffee place on it, and said "Bring this in for a free cup of coffee". People would walk the handfull of blocks carrying this huge coupon like a sandwich board advertising the new coffee joint. Worked like a charm.

Again, there are a million ways to skin a cat. Word of mouth is probably going to be your most potent.

That, and everything that beerindex and cigarshop said, I second it.


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## ssrobbi (Sep 12, 2012)

Everything beerindex said for me, and +1 on the HTF sticks. Any cigar shop can carry a decent selection of popular name cigars, you want to try to get things that other surrounding shops don't have.


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## The_Chosen_One (Aug 18, 2012)

I strongly second the hours beerindex mentioned. I tend to smoke later in the evening and would love to be able to do so in a lounge. However every lounge in my city closes by 8PM. 

While I'm not typically a guy who watches sports at the lounge, I do see a ton of guys in there on game days so I wouldn't recommend not doing so.


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## jheiliger (May 12, 2012)

There are several shop owners here on the boards. I would get to know them... I'm sure they would have wisdom you could glean from!

Are you planning to sell online at all or be strictly retail? It makes a difference in how you spend your marketing budget.


Joe


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## redlandscigar (Dec 4, 2012)

Retail only for now, but who knows what the future holds


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## copper0426 (Aug 15, 2012)

This Might Be pie n the sky and it wil take a little while but I would love to walk in EVENTUALLY and be able to smoke a rested cigar one with some age on it so there is no worries about how it tastes ROTT. My two cents


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## jphank (Apr 29, 2012)

My lounge finds that even if he's open from 10am to 1pm, most customers stroll in for a smoke and to bring a bottle to enjoy around 9:45pm. On the weekends, if he's open 'til midnight, he has most customer strolling in the door around 8pm.

Radio ads are big in SoCal. So is Craig's List. Hit the local country clubs for special events (find a customer that will take you with them). Join the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and use the free advertising that comes with the membership. Attend the Chamber breakfasts and hand out your house cigars with a business card to those who smoke.

After that, try that Farmer's Market, too. Dog Walkers can be found enjoying cigars there from time to time


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## capttrips (Jun 25, 2012)

redlandscigar said:


> We just opened a cigar lounge in Redlands CA. Any thoughts on how to attract new clients?


Why not tell us what you have so we can make recommendations? Opening a cigar anything in California is a risky business.


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## Bad Andy (Jul 16, 2011)

California is a tough place to do business. Our cigar taxes are high, so you have to have the hard to find stuff, and be a place that people will want to come to. I have three cigar shops within one mile of my house. Two of them have nice places to sit and watch a game. I don't go to any of them. I go to one about 25 miles from my house.... Here is why:

1.) They carry the hard to find cigars (except Ligas... apparently they can't get them. I can't find anyone in California that carries them...). 
2.) They have a full bar. Fine scotch, bourbon, many different vodka's, 4 taps, and many bottled micro-brews.
3.) They allow the local restaurants to deliver food there. Or you can bring in your own food. Once in a while they have pot-lucks where members bring in food to share.
4.) Great bartenders. Friendly and cute.
5.) Lots of TV's. It is nice to go and watch multiple games. I am not into them, but they have all of the UFC fights. I wish they would get the real boxing fights (like Paquio).
6.) Twice a month events (one cigar event a month and one booze event a month). Specials on drinks or cigars, plus raffles, drawings, discounts on cigars, etc.

I usually stop by at least once a week, and sometimes up to 3 times a week. It is nice to see and watch a sporting event with other members. I have even got a few customers in just talking to other members at the lounge.

Just my two cents.


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## Bad Andy (Jul 16, 2011)

Just out of curiosity, what is the name of your lounge? I have tried Google searches and a Yelp search, and nothing comes up with your address that you gave in a previous post (732 Tennessee). Lots of people are using yelp these days. Set up a good page, and pay attention to reviews.


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## ssrobbi (Sep 12, 2012)

I'd also say to use social media to your advantage. Get a website that is well detailed on your shop and attractive, and maybe make a facebook page that gets updated


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## redlandscigar (Dec 4, 2012)

Its called Redlands cigar. The guy we hired to do our web desighn is dropping the ball and someone else took our name on yelp. The guy is also showing pictures of my humidor. We hired a lawer who is trying to get the yelp location for us.


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## ssrobbi (Sep 12, 2012)

redlandscigar said:


> Its called Redlands cigar. The guy we hired to do our web desighn is dropping the ball and someone else took our name on yelp. The guy is also showing pictures of my humidor. We hired a lawer who is trying to get the yelp location for us.


Honestly doesn't surprise me. I'm guessing he does web design as a side job. Most people are too busy to complete one in a timely fashion.

And that's very odd about the yelp page, but I see you're on your game for social media.


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## redlandscigar (Dec 4, 2012)

We got every thing worked out with yelp. We are called Redlands cigar. I am located at 732 Tennessee st in Redlands, CA.


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## E Dogg (Mar 23, 2011)

I'll be there Tues night for the cigar night business mixer :smoke:


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## SteveSatch (Aug 1, 2012)

I'm not too far from you. Any more details about the place?


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## SteveSatch (Aug 1, 2012)

Hold a special event for the So Cal Puff members and post about it in the events section.


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## Old Stogies Cigars (Mar 4, 2012)

I wish they allowed us to have a smoking lounge with cash bar here in Illinois. The only way around our strict Smoke-Free laws is to BYOB.... I was surprised reading this post that California still allows smoking inside public spaces since typically the state portrays itself as the "green" state.
I looked at your website, and I really like the look of your place - very nice, and I am sure as time goes on it will be nicer and nicer as you seem to be very open to suggestions and are very customer service oriented.
Best wishes with you new lounge.


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## DarrelMorris (Feb 7, 2012)

E Dogg said:


> I'll be there Tues night for the cigar night business mixer :smoke:


See you there.


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## ssrobbi (Sep 12, 2012)

Is the website finished?


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

Really good reviews on Yelp. Well done...


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## z0diac (May 18, 2010)

redlandscigar said:


> We just opened a cigar lounge in Redlands CA. Any thoughts on how to attract new clients?


Advertise advertise advertise. Especially little single-paper flyers sent to mailboxes of houses. And make new customers feel at home otherwise they won't return!


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## Dio (Nov 17, 2012)

You will make an awesome manager.


beerindex said:


> I don't know how competitive the local scene is, or what laws govern what you can do, but factors that would make me pick one lounge over another:
> 
> 1 - Later hours. There area couple of places I could smoke here that close at 6 or 7 PM, and one that closes at 1 AM. Guess which is more likely to get my money.
> 
> ...


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## DarrelMorris (Feb 7, 2012)

We just came home from a great night at Redlands Cigar. It's a great lounge with a very inviting atmosphere. They have an amazing humidor with a good selection of cigars at good prices. The owner is very friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend it to anyone.:tu:tu

If I lived closer I'd be there all of the time.


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## mcdoyle (Jun 25, 2012)

I sit with people at smoking good times at morongo casino who really like your place. I plan on making my way there soon.


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## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

Hey, I can't wait to try this place. My wife and I go to another place, Mission Tobacco Lounge, in downtown Riverside. It's nice enough, and close to us - but the staff (so far) seems to knew very little about cigars... which really hurts when they try to make recommendations and such (face to face I am VERY good at telling when someone is "making it up as they go").

Redlands isn't all that far from us, so we will be trying this place out ASAP 

Take care,
Rob


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## herbaljedi (Jul 5, 2013)

Just came from there and I gotta say it was very nice. The walk-in humidor is a very nice size, from what I've seen other places, with a stone floor and what I believe to be box storage on the very top. Erik has a very nice selection so far, with Partagas, Tatuaje, Padron and Ashton and many many more than I can remember. He asked if I was good and let me check out the scene then pointed me towards a San Cristobal, which I will let chill for a while before sparking. They have poker tables, a pool table, a nice tv and comfy looking couch, ashtrays and cutters everywhere. He's even putting in Cedar (I believe humidified) lockers that you can rent for $10 a month, I'm so o that btw. There's a bevy of food places within walking distance. All in all I could see this place being the new kick it spot.


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